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Chopper crashed from 10m: investigators

A helicopter that crashed and killed two well-known film and television identities was less than 10 metres in the air when it plummeted to the ground.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) issued an update on Monday saying the Robinson R44 helicopter was seen hovering less than 10m off the ground after takeoff when it lost control and crashed.

American cinematographer Mike deGruy, 60, and Australian television writer-producer Andrew Wight, 51, died when the helicopter, reportedly piloted by Mr Wight, crashed as it was taking off from an airstrip south of Berry on Saturday afternoon.

They were believed to be scouting locations for an upcoming project for National Geographic.

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The ATSB team, which has been interviewing witnesses and inspecting the wreckage, is expected wrap up its operation at Jaspers Brush, just outside of Berry, on Monday.

"The team will also be collecting aircraft maintenance records and pilot records and doing further interviews over the next few days," the ATSB said on its website.

Mr deGruy had won multiple BAFTA and Emmy awards for cinematography. He was a specialist underwater cinematographer.

Mr Wight was the writer-producer of the 3D film Sanctum, which was shot on the Gold Coast and took $100 million worldwide at the box office last year. Sanctum was said to have been based on his near-death experience in an underwater cave.

At the time of the crash, Wight was reportedly working on a project with American director James Cameron, the man behind Titanic and Avatar. Mr Cameron was the executive producer of Sanctum.